Combined table and chair assembly for children



INVENTOR.

W I SEMA N JOSEPH BY @W I ma ATTORNEY Oct. 27, 1959 JQ WISEMAN COMBINED TABLE AND CHAIR ASSEMBLY FOR CHILDREN Filed Aug. 4, 195a 2 3 YO 0 9 3 f 2 9 3 4 Mn 6 2 3 3 V 1 8 1 2 H ml 3 4 V .bl e u w W h F 8 2 2 3 a 5 j M M 21 y r States ate @1 invention relates to combined tableand chair assemblies for infant children, and'more particularly to new and improved apparatus of'thje type described which exhibits features'of increased safety and versatility. In'the past there have been numerous table and-chair assemblies designed for use by children of tender ears;

Normally, the assembly constitutes a high-chair, generally used for feeding purposes.- Occasionally the tableand-chair combination takes the form of apl'ay tableand-chair, which is generally much lower to the ground. The highchair is generally quite high so as to suit the comfort of the person feeding the child. The play tableand-chai-r, in being much lower to the ground, is less likely to tip because of undue activity'of the supported child in the absence of an attending adult; since the center of gravity of the table-and-chair and supported child is quite low' to the ground.

What is needed is an ensemble which may be adjusted in height, to suit the purposes of both the high-chair and also the play table-and-chair.

Selectable variation in the height of the table-and chair has been suggested in theprior art, as is evidenced by the patent issued'to Goldblatt'et al., Patent No. 2,725,094. In this disclosure, the legs of the apparatus are separately extendible to suit the purposes of adjustment in height of the ensemble. i

In some instances, separate adjustment of the highchair legs is awkward'and inconvenient to perform. Thus the inventor has felt the need for apparatus which may be adjusted in height'to either of the two desired positions, i.e. high chair (feeding) and play table (play) positions, very rapidly and conveniently.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea new and useful, combined table-and-chair assembly which will admit of easy adjustment to either a high feeding or high-chair positionand also to a lower, play table position.

According to the present invention, the feeding and play? tableeand-chair assembly includ s a b sic fram uppo e by less .o ix d ensi and a vertically adjustable, ,table top and chair combination. Slide rails depend from the table .top'and are slideably received by guides aifixed to the frame. A U-shaped handle serves as .a lever for advancing the tabletop and chair combination upwarnyto tending posit n; he a s mb y is p ovided with catch detent so that the feeding position'may beiselec ted and retained. When'it is desired to return the tabletop and chair to play position, then the catch is released andte'nsion springs cushion the descent of the table top and chair with respect to the basicframe.

The features of the present invention which are belieyedjto be novel are set forth withparticularity in the v appended 'elaims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together=with further objects and advantages thereof, may best'be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings .in whi h:

2,910,l 13 C6 Patented Oct. 27, 1959 Figure 1 is a plan view of a combined'ta ble and chair assembly for children, according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a rearelevationof'the apparatus shown in Figure l, as taken alo'n'gthe line inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, similar'to Figure 2, but with 'the"chair and table top combination elevatedforfeedingpurposes," Figure 4 is a fragmentary view talge'n along the line 4-4} in Figure 1 Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in cross-section taken along the line 5:5 in Figured, f Figure 6 is a rear elevati n of the table top and chair combination employed in the present invention. Figure 7 is a fragmentary view'partly in cross-section taken along the line 7 7.'in Figure 2. l

' Figure 8 is a frag ntar y View partly in cross-section taken along the line 8-''8 in Figure 3;

In the drawings table top 10 is shown provided withan aperture 'or open area 11' dimensioned to a'ccor'n' modate the positioning therewithin of a child of "tender years; Childs chair-"12 includes a seat'13 "andbackl t; Back 14 may be secured to the rear portion of table top lit in a usual manner'such 'as by means of screws; In any event, seat 13 of chair 12"willbe positioned di rectly below open area 111 It will be understoojc'i'that table top' 10 and chair 12 are securely affixed"'together in fixedrelationship 'so that the twoma'y moveu'p or down together, as desired. l I

Rectangular'frame 15 is suspended-above the floor by means of four mutually spaced legs 16 of fixed dimension, affiied at the upper ends theredf tothe inside corners of frame 15.

Pivotally attached to the rear portion 17 of frame 15 is catch member 18, the latter being affixed to the frame by means of conventional attachments (nut and bolt) 19. A stop Ztl'is screwed or glued'to the inside surface of rear portion 17, of frame 15, so as to define the extremity of travel of catch member 18 to a vertical upright position as is indicated in Figures 3 and" 4. Catch member 18 supplied torque in the direction shown by arrow Ain Figure 4 by a' tension spring21, the latter being affixed toframe 15 and catch member 18 at the points "22 and 23,"respectively, in a conven tional manner. Thus", when unimpeded; catch member 18",will assume the position indicated in Figure 3, under which condition the upper part 24 of catch member 18 V will fit into a detent region 25 of cam member 26', the

latter being afiixed to the underside of table top '10.

When the table top and chair combihationare' raised or lowered, then the underside edge of member 26 provides a cam surface for the upper edge of catch member 18. See Figure 3' in this regard. "Accordingly, and as 'is indicated in Figure 3', when one lowers or, perhaps more ac'ctu'ately, rotationally'displaces U-shaped handle member 2.7,then the chair and table top combination 'is elevated with respect to the basic frame 15, and thus with respect to ground. The accomplishmenfof this function is indicated' generally in Figures" 3 and 3 through8.

In Figures 3, 5, 7 and 8 it is indicated that attached to the underside of table top 10 are a pair of guide rails 28, these being slideably received by guides 29 associ ated with the frame15. Guides 29 may be cionfigure'd in any ,suitable1way, such as that indicated in Figure '5, for example, wherein it'is shown that the guide is com posed 'of' three parts, namely, two end blocks 30 and a joining member 31. Support blocks 32 may be central-1y apertured (not shown.) so as to aid in the retention of guide rails 28 to table top 10.

We some W to a sgas deraticant the a tuau g c nis sla t P nc l 'w anen at the actuatns me hani m i o as? us red handle 27, constituting in form a pair of arms 33 and a joining cross bar portion 34. Links 35 pivotally affix the respective ends of U-shaped handle member 27 to the lower regions of slide rails 28. Spacer blocks 36 may be used for this coupling, if necessary. Support members 37 are flixed to and depend from the basic frame 15 and pivotally engage the arms of U-shaped handle member 27 at medial points thereof by means of pivot pins 38. Frame extensions 39 serve to anchor one end of springs 40, the remaining ends being attached to the arms of U-shaped handle member 27 in between the po sitions of guides 29 and support members 37.

s The apparatus operates as follows: Figure 2 describes the configuration, of the, table and chair assembly when the same is in play position. Thus, while it may well be inconvenient to feed the child at the height indicated in Figure 2, the child may nonetheless play in the table and chair ensemble without any danger of tipping the apparatus, since the center of gravity of the table and chair in conjunction with the child is very low to the floor. When, however, the adult desires to feed the child enclosed in the table and chair assembly, then the adult need only press downwardly, by means of hand or foot, the U-shaped handle member 27 in the region of cross bar 34. In doing so, the configuration, of the apparatus will change from that shown in Figures 2 and 7 to that shown in Figures 3 and 8. In the meantime. the upper area of catch member 18 will slide along the cam surface exhibited by the underside edge of member 26 until the catch engages detent 25. At this point feeding position is attained. When the adult wishes to lower the chair and table top to play position, he or she need only press slightly down on the cross-bar of the U-shaped handle member and advance the catch 18 in a counter-clockwise direction as is indicated in Figure 3. 'Thereupon, the table top and chair combination will descend gradually (owing to tension springs 40) until catch member 18 in being forced downwardly by member 26 finally assumes its position shown in Figure 4 and the apparatus comes to rest as is indicated in Figure 2.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

, 1. A combined feeding and play table-and-chair assembly of adjustable height for children, including, in combination, a table top having an open area for receiving a child, a childs chair aflixed to and fixedly disposed with, respect to said table top and having a seat disposed immediately below said open area, a horizontal frame positioned below said table top, a plurality of mutually spaced vertical legs afiixed at their upper ends to said horizontal frame, a pair of vertically disposed slide rails afiixed to said table top on the under side thereof and depending therefrom, guide means affixed to said frame for slideably receiving said slide rails, and manually actuatable means for alternately raising and lowering said seat and table top with respect to said frame to fixed, feeding and play positions, respectively, said manually actuatable means including a unitary, U-shaped lever member having an actuatable, cross-bar handle and also a pair of arms the ends of which are respectively affixed to said slide rails and medial points of which are fixedly disposed with respect to said frame to define a fulcrum axis for said lever member.

2-. A combined feeding and play table-and-chair assembly of adjustable height for children, including, in combination, a table top having an open area, for re- '4 ceiving a child, a childs chair affixed to and fixedly disposed with respect to said table top and having a seat disposed immediately below said open area, a horizontal frame positioned below said table top, a plurality of mutually spaced vertical legs affixed at their upper ends to said horizontal frame, a pair of vertically disposed slide rails affixed to said table top on the under side thereof and depending therefrom, guide means atfixed to said frame for slideably receiving said slide rails, and manually actuatable means for alternately raising and lowering said seat and table top with respect to said frame to fixed, feeding and play positions, respectively, said manually actuatable means including a unitary, U-shaped handle member having a pair of arms and a joining cross-bar, said handle member being pivotally aifixed at its ends to and between said slide rails at lower regions thereof, a pair of respective, depending support members affixed to said frame rearwardly of said respective guide means, said U-shaped handle member being pivotally affixed at medial points along said arms thereof to said support members, spring means joining said handle member (between said respective support members and guide means) to said frame, and means for releasably locking said table top above said frame in feeding position.

3. A combined feeding and play table-and-chair assembly of adjustable height for children, including, in combination, a table top having an open area for receiving a child, a childs chair affixed to and fixedly disposed with respect to said table top and having a seat disposed immediately below said open area, a horizontal frame positioned below said table top, a plurality of mutually spaced vertical legs affixed at their upper ends to said horizontal frame, a pair of vertically disposed slide rails afiixed to said table top on the under side thereof and depending therefrom, guide means atfixed to said frame for slideably receiving said slide rails, and manually actuatable means for alternately raising and lowering said seat and table top with respect to said frame to fixed, feeding and play positions, respectively, said manually actuatable means including a unitary, U-shaped handle member having a pair of arms and a joining cross-bar, said handle member being pivotally affixed at its ends to and between said slide rails at lower regionsthereof, a pair of respective, depending, support members alfixed to said frame rearwardly of said respective guide means, said U-shaped handle member being pivotally affixed at medial points along said arms thereof to said support members, spring means joining said handle member (between said respective support members and guide means) to said frame, and means for releaseably locking said table top above said frame in feeding position, said locking means comprising a catch affixed at one end thereof to said frame and pivotal therearound along. a vertical plane, stop means affixed to said frame and cooperatable with said catch to retain the same in vertical disposition at maximum travel thereof, tension spring means affixed to said catch and said frame for applying torque to said catch in the direction of said stop, and cam means'afiixed to the under side of said table top immediately above said catch and adapted to cooperate therewithin providing therefor a cam surface when said table top is being adanced upwardly to feeding" position and a detent when feeding position is attained.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

